Patrick "Patches" Kennedy: ...'I have never worked a [bleeping] day in my life'....

Washington Post via Drudge ^ | Friday, June 7, 2003 | By Lloyd Grove

[nutmeg]

THIS JUST IN...

• As sometimes happens with Rep. Patrick Kennedy (D-R.I.), he let his mouth race ahead of his brain Wednesday night at a gathering of Young Democrats at the Washington nightspot Acropolis. After presidential candidate Howard Dean spoke, Kennedy delivered an impassioned peroration against President Bush's tax cut. We hear that Kennedy told the crowd: "I don't need Bush's tax cut. I have never worked a [bleeping] day in my life." With that he got the audience's attention -- the dropping-jaws kind.

[JimRed]

I think it was Mark Twain (correct me if I'm wrong) who said that "work is something a body is obliged to do". Since any Kennedy (of THAT Kennedy clan) can choose what he WANTS to do, he is being truthful.

[nutmeg]

Rush mentioning this NOW!

[nutmeg]

ping!

Please Freepmail me if you want on or off my infrequent Connecticut ping list.

[nutmeg]

ping!

Please Freepmail me if you want on or off my infrequent Massachusetts ping list.

[prairiebreeze]

I wonder if they tied tubes back then?

Sure they did. That's a good point too. Why wasn't that enough for Joe, was he worried Rosemary would talk or behave in a way that would detract from the family illusion? Probably had her brain fixed instead of her tubes,

Prairie

[maryz]

His main opponent whose name I can't remember,

Eddie McCormack?

[maryz]

Her name is Rosemary and she was born mentally retarded.

The way I heard it, the lobotomy was intended to deal with her promiscuity and other wild behavior.

[DoughtyOne]

I'm not sure. It's been a while since I've seen the history channel presentation.

[DoughtyOne]

Maybe she knew too much. Even at deminished capacity she might have had some juicy tales to tell.

[maryz]

But willing to take away everyone else's tax dollars.

Which might not be quite so bad if they weren't so hell-bent on avoiding paying taxes. I don't remember the details exactly, but when Jackie died, Caroline and John tried (and I think succeeded) in getting their inheritance treated as a capital gain(?) instead of paying the inheritance.

When Rose died, Teddy got her classified as a legal resident of Florida (though she hadn't been off the Cape in about 30 years), because the death taxes are lower there.

[Mo1]

I have heard that also ..

But it still does not justify a lobotomy .. especially in the 1940's when modern medicine was not all that great.

IMO, Joe Kennedy was a control freak .. and by not telling his wife and his family what he planned, proves my point

[maryz]

I didn't mean to suggest at all that I thought it was justified -- only to add what I'd heard about the motivation.

I heard about Rosemary when I was very young; my mother used to talk about it sometimes -- she was utterly horrified by it.

[N. Theknow]

Patrick Kennedy is proof that the US House of Representatives is a place, where a mental defective can get paid over $100,000 per year.

They make even more in the NBA.

[N. Theknow]

But JFK gave our nation real hope in a time of dire need with the Cuban Missle crises.........he showed immense fortitude in that dark time and I admire him for that.

His stupidity, lack of fortitude, and cowardice with regard to the Soviet Union caused the Cuban Missile Crisis.

[metesky]

Chatham Wayside, great little bar, eh? I lived in W. Yarmouth at Englewood Beach from '69 to '97 across Lewis Bay from the scumpound.

How's the fishin' down there, Bub?

[Mo1]

I didn't mean to suggest at all that I thought it was justified -- only to add what I'd heard about the motivation

I understand .. and yes, many were horrified at the news from what my mother has told me also. But it was one of those things most didn't talk about out loud ..

The times were different then they are now

[metesky]

The present Governor of MA ran against him and got his head handed to him.

I was born and bred in eastern MA and I don't understand it myself, DO.

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks. You have my deepest sympathy. But then I have Feinstein and Boxer. I'm depressed... ;-)

[metesky]

Ha ha!

At least yours are out in the open. I moved to Maine and ended up with Snowe and Collins....jeech!